Light Rail Policy Picks Up Speed

Governor Michael Dukakis on the politics and potential growth of high speed rail public transportation
Former governor of Massachusetts, Michael Dukakis, is currently a Distinguished Professor of political science at Northeastern University. He is an advocate of innovations in public transportation and spoke recently with the HPR on this topic.
HPR: In December, President Obama will announce which proposed high speed rail projects will going to receive federal funding from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. Forty states are competing for eight billion dollars. In your opinion, which proposal or proposals are the most deserving of funding?
MD: Well, a lot of this depends on whether or not the states and regions in question have done the work that is needed to get cracking on these projects. Part of the problem with all of this is that we’ve been so far behind when it comes to intercity rail in this country that a lot of states, understandably, never anticipated this. The Bush years were terrible years for rail. … In general there was no enthusiasm for the kind of thing that we’re now getting from the Obama administration. … So, when you look at the country, only a handful of places are really ready for this.
HPR: How can the federal and state governments create a demand for the creation of light rail cars?
MD: There’s got to be a consistent long-term commitment. … You’re not going to get industries to invest in this stuff if they don’t think that that commitment is real and consistent. Part of the problem with what’s been going on is that we’ve gone back and forth within these administrations and there’s been no consistency. … Now we’ve got Obama with what’s probably the biggest commitment we’ve ever had from a president for inner-city rail. … There is a bipartisan majority in Congress now for this kind of thing.
HPR: How do you think that rail supporters can convince rural senators and congressman, especially Republicans, to support bills that primarily benefit cities and by extension, Democrats?
MD: They’re fine because virtually all of these trains go to rural areas as well. … If you look at something like the Crescent, which runs from New York to New Orleans, it connects cities but it also connects rural areas. If we could get one hundred and ten, one hundred and twenty miles an hour speeds on that line it would be enormously important both to small towns as well as to major cities. … People are with the politicians on this issue, in my opinion.
HPR: A lot of regional transportation authorities like the Metropolitan Bay Transportation Authority in Boston, the Metropolitan Transport Authority in New York City, and California’s high speed rail authority are facing budget problems. How do you think politicians can convince the general public to support the expansion of public transportation and maintain good service even during recessions?
MD: Well I think the politicians [must] exercise leadership to, for example, in the case of the T, if its five or cents for a gasoline tax that makes sure that systems runs and runs well, to get public support to do that. That takes vision, courage, and effective communication. But, it’s absolutely essential. Look at the T. It’s inconceivable that this metropolitan area would be anywhere near what it is today without it. … I think people understand that you can’t run these things and build the kinds of improvements that we need to invest in the system for nothing. And so, it’s up to elected political leaders to man the business community and [talk] with lots of other people to convince folks that those kinds of investments are worthwhile. Now there is some talk about some federal money helping to cover some of these operating costs and I think that’s fine, but that doesn’t absolve local governments or state governments from the responsibility of stepping up with resources of their own. Nobody likes to recommend it but if we’re going to have the kind of public transportation system we need it’s got to have excellent management and sufficient resources.
Photo Credit: Wikimedia Commons